The way I use the ebrake, especially on uphill rocky stuff, is to use it
to hold the van's weight as I get going from a stop. That way you don't
start to roll backward in the moment it takes you to move your foot from
the brake to the accelerator and let the clutch out. Then gradually let
off on the ebrake as you let the clutch out.

A 90 suby loyale I owned had a hill holder clutch, do they still sell
those? Basically did the same thing with the hydraulic brakes - they
would hold until you let the clutch out.

Cheers,
 Jeff
84 Westy Tiico
http://personal.riverusers.com/~kennedy

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of David Brodbeck
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 7:34 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: "Emergency Brake Trick" ?

On Wed, 26 May 2004, Lee Kouns wrote:

> To those who have used it:
> Would those who have used the "Emergency Brake Trick" to increase
> traction, please share your suggestions on how and when to use it.

The "emergency brake trick" helps you get traction if one wheel is on a
slick surface.

As you may know, on an open-differential car, if one wheel loses
traction,
all the power will go to that wheel.  If you have a good,
properly-adjusted emergency brake, pulling it up a few clicks will
equalize the drag on the two wheels, forcing some power to go to the one
that has traction, a little like a posi-traction differential.

I've used it for climbing snowy hills and getting unstuck in slick
parking
spaces.  Don't forget to release the brake again when you're done. ;)

David Brodbeck, N8SRE
'86 Volvo 240DL wagon
'82 VW Vanagon Westfalia Diesel